How I Started a business, expanded it, almost lost it and got back on my toes

Are You Properly Hydrated? Are You Sure?

While Thanksgiving may be over, you’re probably still feeling the effects of that epic meal. Am I right? That sluggish, bloated feeling doesn’t just go away on its own. Time to detox and refocus on health, especially if you’re a business owner—you can’t suffer from brain fog during the last few weeks of the year!

Did you know that staying hydrated is THE most important way that you can keep your brain clear, maintain your appropriate body weight, and stay healthy to fight disease? That’s right, all you have to do is drink water and you’ll be back on track to feeling energized and break that cycle of over-eating. It’s true, if you feel hungry, a lot of times, that’s a signal that you’re actually dehydrated. If you’re thirsty, that’s a signal of dehydration too.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how much water we should drink each day and it seems the answer is: it depends. Most health experts recommend drinking the water equivalent of half of your body weight in ounces. But you might need more if you exercise. And you also want to balance your water consumption with electrolytes from fruits, vegetables, and sodium and potassium from natural sea salt. Check out this video about how to stay properly hydrated. And check with your doctor if you have any questions about your individual health.

Drinking plenty of water is at the top of my Thanksgiving detox list as well as getting back into the studio for my 4 classes each week. OMG—that first class after Thanksgiving was brutal! While drinking filtered water is best, sometimes it can be a little bland. Here are my favorite flavored waters to break up that plain water boredom …

La Croix Lime Flavored Sparkling Water: This is my go-to if I need a little zip. La Croix is Whole30 approved with all natural flavors, no sugar, and tastes great. This brings up a great point—folks, check your labels! If your flavored water contains added sugars or anything that you can’t pronounce or isn’t found in nature, it’s time to switch to a better choice. Unhealthy foods and drinks are sold at health food stores, so it’s up to you to read the label and put the best, most natural ingredients into your body.

Back to the water … lime flavor pairs well with just about everything, if you’re drinking at mealtime. There are several other flavors of La Croix, but I’ve found them to be a little weird tasting—like they don’t taste like the fruit they claim to be flavored with. I’ll stick with lime.

Spindrift Cucumber Sparkling Water:This is my new fave! This water is made with real, squeezed fruit, so it actually tastes good and not fake. Cucumber is so refreshing! I drink this anytime I’ve overeaten—like after Thanksgiving. Because this water is made with real cucumber juice, it does have 2 calories … but I’m pretty sure I can burn those off at the studio.

Trader Joe’s Organic Lemon Ginger Herbal Flavored Water:I love ginger and this drink doesn’t disappoint. I like to drink this after dinner as a dessert substitute. If I’m still craving something sweet, after I drink this, then I have to give in. But it usually does the trick.

So, there you have it, 4 great alternatives to plain, filtered water. Let me know which one is your fave!